13 Ways for the Chronically Connected to Disconnect

The #1 thing I heard from people coming back from Thanksgiving break in the U.S. was how hard it was to
disconnect from work
, if they managed to do so at all.

Now, I know that there are times that you really do need to be online, but I've come to observe that more often than not, people stay connected
even though
they could easily not have been (without the world falling apart).

Really, if you're officially on vacation, and it's not an emergency, then it's OK to stop voraciously checking your email (I promise). What's more, really unplugging for a few days will make you far more relaxed and refreshed—and, thus, a more productive employee when you do get back to the office.

If You Just Need a Nudge

1. Keep your phone on silent so you don't get pinged every few minutes.

2. Remove notifications from your phone. That's right, no pop-ups to tell you that so-and-so wants to play Candy Crush, nor little numbers taunting you to open an app. (Here's how for
iOS
and
Android
)

3. Use
Inbox Pause
and only unpause it when you actually want to check email. If something is urgent, people will find a way to get in touch with you. This will reduce your urge to keep checking your email, since nothing new will be there until you take the step of unpausing.

4. Charge your phone and computer in a room you don't frequent often. Not having your smartphone next to your bed when you wake up will work wonders for your check-your-email-first-thing-
in-the-morning habit. (Warning: You may need to get your hands on an actual alarm clock for this one.)

5. Plan activities that don't mix well with phones or computers, like going for a walk or a bike ride, seeing a movie, or exploring a new part of town.

For the Social Media Addicts

6. Log out of your social media accounts on your computer (and don't enable auto-login). If you have to put in your password each time, it'll dissuade you from it being a knee-jerk reaction. Bonus points for adding
two-factor authentication
: more security, and another hurdle to hopping on social networks.

7. Delete the social media apps from your phone. You can reinstall them in under five minutes after the holidays, but the lack of easy access will keep you from browsing Twitter in the corner of the kitchen while your family is spending quality time without you.

12. Don't bring a charger with you (or, bring it but have a family member hide it and only given you access every 72 hours or so), so you have to use your phone and computer judiciously to prevent it from dying.

13. When all else fails, go somewhere with no internet and no cell phone signal, like space or the middle of Nevada. But please, don't let it come to that. Your friends and family will thank you.

Topics

Alex is the President & Founder of The Muse, where she focuses on the growth and operations of the fast-growing business and pursuing constant innovation. Her book The New Rules of Work, written with her co-founder Kathryn, came out in April 2017. Outside the office, Alex can be found on her road bike or deep in a book. She also loves productivity hacks more than candy.